Alexander López Explained

Alexander López
Fullname:Alexander Agustín López Rodríguez
Birth Date:1992 6, df=y
Birth Place:Tegucigalpa, Honduras
Height:1.77 m
Position:Attacking midfielder
Currentclub:Olancho FC
Clubnumber:7
Youthyears1:1999–2009
Youthclubs1:Olimpia
Years1:2010–2013
Clubs1:Olimpia
Caps1:95
Goals1:6
Years2:2013–2015
Clubs2:Houston Dynamo
Caps2:28
Goals2:0
Years3:2016
Clubs3:Olimpia
Caps3:19
Goals3:2
Years4:2016–2017
Clubs4:Al-Khaleej
Caps4:11
Goals4:2
Years5:2017
Clubs5:Olimpia
Caps5:27
Goals5:12
Years6:2018–2023
Clubs6:Alajuelense
Caps6:245
Goals6:30
Years7:2024–
Clubs7:Olancho FC
Caps7:1
Goals7:0
Nationalyears1:2009
Nationalteam1:Honduras U17
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2010–2011
Nationalteam2:Honduras U20
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:3
Nationalyears3:2011–2012
Nationalteam3:Honduras U23
Nationalcaps3:9
Nationalgoals3:1
Nationalyears4:2010–
Nationalteam4:Honduras
Nationalcaps4:47
Nationalgoals4:6
Club-Update:12 February 2024
Nationalteam-Update:8 November 2021

Alexander Agustín López Rodríguez (born 5 June 1992) is a Honduran professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Liga Nacional club Olancho FC and the Honduras national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Tegucigalpa, Distrito Central, Francisco Morazán, López joined Olimpia's youth system at the age of 7. He remained in the youth ranks until 2010, where he was finally able to make the breakthrough into the first team.

Olimpia

On 8 August 2010, López made his league debut against Hispano F.C., coming on for Bani Lozano in the 70th minute. He scored his first goal – which was the second of the match – to help seal a 2–0 victory.[1]

Following the 2012 Summer Olympics, López was continuously linked with a move to Europe, with English side Wigan Athletic being an alleged suitor for the young playmaker.[2] [3] However, these transfer links came to nothing, and López remained at Olimpia for the following season. In 2022, a British journalist called Kieran Morris claimed that Wigan's interest in the player, which was reported as fact in national newspapers in the UK and Honduras, had been fabricated by him and his friends, who contacted various press outlets pretending to be a club insider or journalist as a prank.[4]

Houston Dynamo

On 6 August 2013, López signed for Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo as a Designated Player.[5] He made his debut for the club on 20 August in the CONCACAF Champions League against W Connection F.C. in a 0–0 draw. He made his league debut 3 days later in the 5–0 defeat against the Montreal Impact.[6] [7] Despite impressing fans with demonstrations of his individual skill – most notably his 30-yard rabona chip for Jason Johnson[8] on his first start against the New York Red Bulls – López was unable to hold down a place in the Dynamo side for the remainder of the 2013 season, as issues with homesickness and fitness prevented Dominic Kinnear from giving the Honduran an extended run in the side.[9] He finished the season with 2 appearances, and providing 1 assist, playing no part in Dynamo's performance in the 2013 Eastern Conference finals.

Return to Olimpia

On 18 January 2016, López returned to Olimpia and signed a six-month contract after it was confirmed that he would no longer continue with Houston Dynamo.[10] He made his first appearance since his return the following 31 January in a 0–0 draw against Real España, replacing Romell Quioto in the 56th minute.[11] He would help Olimpia win the 2016 Clausura tournament, which was also the club's 30th title win.[12]

Al-Khaleej

López signed a two-year deal with Saudi Professional League side Khaleej FC on 28 June 2016. He made his debut the following 12 August in the 3–1 defeat against Al-Faisaly, scoring his first goal.[13] On 22 January 2017, the club announced through their social networks that they had terminated the contract of López.

Second return to Olimpia

After his contract with Al-Khaleej was terminated, López re-signed with Olimpia. On 9 February 2017 he scored in his return match, a 7–1 win over C.D.S. Vida.[14] López would win the inaugural CONCACAF League tournament with Olimpia in October 2017, after his side defeated Santos de Guápiles 4–1 on penalties in the second leg.[15]

Alajuelense

On 13 January 2018, López signed for Costa Rican side Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.[16] He made his league debut for the club in a 3–1 loss against Pérez Zeledón.[17] López would score his first goal in the return fixture against Pérez Zeledón in a 3–0 win.[18]

International career

On 18 November 2008, López made his debut for the Honduras U-17 during the 2009 CONCACAF U-17 Championship qualification match against Belize. He scored his first goal in the 53rd minute in a 9–0 victory.[19] In 2009, he was included by Emilio Umanzor in the 21-man squad for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria.

López represented his country at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.[20] He would only play three games, as Honduras would be eliminated by Brazil in the quarter-finals.

In October 2010, López made his senior debut for Honduras in a friendly match against Guatemala. He scored his first senior international goal on 1 September 2017 in the 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago in a 2–1 win. His second goal would come on 21 November 2018 in a 4–1 friendly loss against Chile.[21]

Career statistics

Club

Club!rowspan="2"
SeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Olimpia2009–10Liga Nacional60000060
2010–113730070443
2011–122000020220
2012–133230010333
Total95600100 1056
Houston Dynamo2013Major League Soccer20400060
201410021121
201516020180
Total280414000361
Olimpia2015–16Liga Nacional19200192
Al-Khaleej2016–17Saudi Professional League11210122
Olimpia2016–17Liga Nacional14900149
2017–181330081214
Total271200813513
Alajulense2017–18Liga FPD253253
2018–19386386
2019–20447447
2020–2136451425
2021–223942010424
2022–2315151202
Total197251221021027
Career total37747513431041751

International

Scores and results list Honduras goal tally first, score column indicates score after each López goal.

List of international goals scored by Alexander López
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 1 September 2017 Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, Trinidad and Tobago 1–0 2–1 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2 20 November 2018 Estadio Municipal Germán Becker, Temuco, Chile 1–1 1–4 Friendly
3 15 November 2020 Estadio Doroteo Guamuch Flores, Guatemala City, Guatemala 1–2 1–2 Friendly
4 24 March 2021 Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Zhodzina, Belarus 1–1 1–1 Friendly
5 17 July 2021 BBVA Stadium, Houston, United States 2–2 3–2 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup
6 2 September 2021 BMO Field, Toronto, Canada 1–0 1–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Olimpia

Alajuelense

Honduras

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Comienza "rugiendo el león" . https://web.archive.org/web/20120317184719/http://www.latribunadeportiva.hn/2010/08/09/min-5-pt-olimpia-e-hispano-estan-empatando/ . dead . 17 March 2012 . La Tribuna Deportiva . 9 August 2010.
  2. Web site: Which one of RvP's three suitors say they've pulled out?: All the transfer news, rumours and gossip from Saturday's papers . . 28 July 2012.
  3. Web site: En Inglaterra ponen a Alex López en el Wigan. In England they're putting Alex López at Wigan. es . Diario Diez . 18 December 2013.
  4. Web site: The amazing true(ish) story of the ‘Honduran Maradona’. The Guardian. 13 October 2022. 14 October 2022. Kieran. Morris.
  5. Web site: Houston Dynamo sign Honduran international Alexander Lopez to young Designated Player deal . MLSSoccer.com . 7 August 2013.
  6. Web site: Alex López debuta con el Houston en la Concachampions. Alex López debuts with Houston in the Concachampions. es . Diario Diez . 21 August 2013.
  7. Web site: Match Recap: Houston Dynamo 0, Montreal Impact 5 . HoustonDynamo.com . 24 August 2013.
  8. Web site: GOAL: JOHNSON FINISHES FROM CUTTING LOPEZ PASS. Ben Crook. Houston Dynamo. 22 May 2014. 8 September 2013. 23 May 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140523041922/http://www.houstondynamo.com/blog/post/2013/09/08/goal-johnson-finishes-cutting-lopez-pass. dead.
  9. Web site: Houston Dynamo young Designated Player Alex Lopez hoping for more productive 2014. Darrell Lovell. MLSSoccer.com. 22 May 2014. 30 January 2014.
  10. Web site: Alexander López vuelve al Olimpia. Alexander López returns to Olimpia. es . . 18 January 2016.
  11. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/01/31/honduras/liga-nacional/cd-olimpia/cd-marathon/2181660/ Soccerway.com – Olimpia vs Real España 0 - 0
  12. Web site: ¡Olimpia conquista su copa número 30 en Honduras!. Olimpia wins its 30th cup in Honduras!. es . Diario Diez . 23 May 2016.
  13. Web site: VIDEO: El espectacular golazo anotado por el hondureño Alexander López en Arabia Saudita. VIDEO: The spectacular goal scored by the Honduran Alexander López in Saudi Arabia. es . Diario Diez . 12 August 2016.
  14. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/02/09/honduras/liga-nacional/cd-olimpia/cdys-vida/2381470/ Soccerway.com – Olimpia vs Vida 7 - 1
  15. Web site: OLIMPIA CROWNED INAUGURAL SCOTIABANK CONCACAF LEAGUE CHAMPION. concacafleague.com. 2 September 2020. 27 October 2017. 8 February 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180208123739/https://www.concacafleague.com/en/article/ad-santos-de-guapiles-v-cd-olimpia-recap. dead.
  16. Web site: Alex López ya está habilitado para jugar con Alajuelense. Alex López is now certified to play with Alajuelense. es . Diario Diez . 18 January 2018.
  17. Web site: ¡Amargo! Alex López recibe goleada en su debut con el Alajuelense. Bitter! Alex López receives a thrashing in his debut with Alajuelense. es . Diario Diez . 18 January 2018.
  18. Web site: Afición de Alajuelense le da calor a Alex López tras su primer gol. Alajuelense fans warm up to Alex López after his first goal. es . Diario Diez . 11 March 2018.
  19. Web site: Sub 17 de Honduras masacra 9–0 a Belice . https://web.archive.org/web/20120319042404/http://www.honduras504.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=45 . dead . 19 March 2012 . Honduras 504 . 8 November 2008 .
  20. Web site: Suárez convoca a la Selección Sub 23 para los Juegos Olímpicos 2012. Suárez summons the U23 team for the 2012 Olympic Games. es . El Heraldo . 11 March 2018.
  21. Web site: Manchester United's Alexis Sanchez scores for Chile against Honduras. Sky Sports. 5 September 2020. 21 November 2018.